Sword plant gone terrestrial

I don't always get a chance to check on my tanks during the week if work is
crazy. Yes, the fish get fed and their basic needs (water :-) ) looked
after.

So I go down to the basement today to do my weekly water change(s) and see
one of my Sword plants climbing out of the tank. It was about 14" above the
rim of the tank. It didn't have any leaves on it yet, just a massive stock
with four leaf buds. The stock was about 1/2" at the base. I've read about
Swords being grown above the water in green houses, but now I can see why.
The amount of growth in one week was phenomenal.

Bill Stock wrote:
I don't always get a chance to check on my tanks during the week if work is
crazy. Yes, the fish get fed and their basic needs (water :-) ) looked
after.

So I go down to the basement today to do my weekly water change(s) and see
one of my Sword plants climbing out of the tank. It was about 14" above the
rim of the tank. It didn't have any leaves on it yet, just a massive stock
with four leaf buds. The stock was about 1/2" at the base. I've read about
Swords being grown above the water in green houses, but now I can see why.
The amount of growth in one week was phenomenal.

It sounds like the plant is about to flower. That's what mine do, or
used to, before the Ancistrus took to them. I get a very long leafless
stem with buds at the end. The buds have to be out of water otherwise
they rot.


Nikki

"Nikki Casali" wrote in message
...
Bill Stock wrote:
I don't always get a chance to check on my tanks during the week if work
is crazy. Yes, the fish get fed and their basic needs (water :-) ) looked
after.

So I go down to the basement today to do my weekly water change(s) and
see one of my Sword plants climbing out of the tank. It was about 14"
above the rim of the tank. It didn't have any leaves on it yet, just a
massive stock with four leaf buds. The stock was about 1/2" at the base.
I've read about Swords being grown above the water in green houses, but
now I can see why. The amount of growth in one week was phenomenal.

It sounds like the plant is about to flower. That's what mine do, or used
to, before the Ancistrus took to them. I get a very long leafless stem
with buds at the end. The buds have to be out of water otherwise they rot.

Crap, should have asked before I chopped it off. How often does this happen
Nikki? Do the plants have to be fairly large before they flower? I've had
these about 18 months ans they've pretty much taken over the tank (55). I
was considering upgrading to a 75, but a 90 might be a better choice for the
Swords.

I bought a small sword species (can't remember the name, not a micro or
pygmy, but smaller type) that had a runner on it. Soon after planting
it, the nodes on the runner all gave off leaves as you described. When
there were some small roots on each baby plant, I cut the runner on
both sides of each little plant and rooted in the substrate. I ended up
getting about 8 plants using this method and recently used them to
start planting my 37g tank. You must be doing something right! It will
happen again, and when it does, let it grow and see how it all plays
out.

And you aren't kidding, those little plants grow FAST!

Bill Stock wrote:
"Nikki Casali" wrote in message
...
Bill Stock wrote:
I don't always get a chance to check on my tanks during the week if work
is crazy. Yes, the fish get fed and their basic needs (water :-) ) looked
after.

So I go down to the basement today to do my weekly water change(s) and
see one of my Sword plants climbing out of the tank. It was about 14"
above the rim of the tank. It didn't have any leaves on it yet, just a
massive stock with four leaf buds. The stock was about 1/2" at the base.
I've read about Swords being grown above the water in green houses, but
now I can see why. The amount of growth in one week was phenomenal.

It sounds like the plant is about to flower. That's what mine do, or used
to, before the Ancistrus took to them. I get a very long leafless stem
with buds at the end. The buds have to be out of water otherwise they rot.

Crap, should have asked before I chopped it off. How often does this happen
Nikki? Do the plants have to be fairly large before they flower? I've had
these about 18 months ans they've pretty much taken over the tank (55). I
was considering upgrading to a 75, but a 90 might be a better choice for the
Swords.

They do that. They grow 3' tall in the wild and if your tank is halfway
properly fertilized nothing in genus Echinodorus is suitable for even
a large fishtank.

Bonsai treatments would be appropriate. And work. Constrain the roots
and they won't grow as big.

--
Need Mercedes parts? http://parts.mbz.org
Richard Sexton | Mercedes stuff: http://mbz.org
1970 280SE, 72 280SE | Home pages: http://rs79.vrx.net
633CSi 250SE/C 300SD | http://aquaria.net http://killi.net

"Richard Sexton" wrote in message
...
They do that. They grow 3' tall in the wild and if your tank is halfway
properly fertilized nothing in genus Echinodorus is suitable for even
a large fishtank.

Bonsai treatments would be appropriate. And work. Constrain the roots
and they won't grow as big.

Yes, they've been too big for the tank for quite some time. I've been
considering some Crypts, but I really hate to dispose of these beauties. The
real negative is the BBA where the leaves touch the glass and the
circulation is poor.

In article , Bill Stock wrote:

Yes, they've been too big for the tank for quite some time. I've been
considering some Crypts, but I really hate to dispose of these beauties. The
real negative is the BBA where the leaves touch the glass and the
circulation is poor.

Crypts would work, but they may not get big enough for you. Lillies are another
oprion, large showly plants but don't grow out of the tank.


--
Need Mercedes parts? http://parts.mbz.org
Richard Sexton | Mercedes stuff: http://mbz.org
1970 280SE, 72 280SE | Home pages: http://rs79.vrx.net
633CSi 250SE/C 300SD | http://aquaria.net http://killi.net

Hi..

Bonsai treatments would be appropriate. And work.
Constrain the roots and they won't grow as big.

Still feel remembered to my bonsai sunflowers and narrow
leaf sags..!
--
cu
Marco